CHAPTER THREE
Amoudara - again!
I did not have too much of an opportunity to check out our new home immediately. We moved on a Monday and Thursday was the day I had been dreading. No matter how many times I repeated the words of reassurance given to me by my old friend I still cried when David handed me over to that man and left me in that place.
What I had not realized, since the Shepherd had never gone into much detail, was that I would not have a clue what was being done to me after the spike thing knocked me out! The next thing I was aware of was waking from a very different sort of sleep and trying to sort out in my head where I was. I noticed that I felt very sore and uncomfortable around my lower belly and then I felt so tired again. The next time I came to I thought I heard David's voice and crawled round the corner to see his lovely face beaming sympathetically down at me. What a wonderful moment that was! But then - a quick tail- wag of recognition and I was asleep again!
By the time we got home I was aware enough to feel the soreness and I was extremely thirsty. I also found it impossible to stay awake for very long. So I had a drink and staggered to my blanket. I took a quick look at some strange piece of cloth that was sticking to my belly and decided further examination could wait. I slept!
I do not know how long it was before I woke again but I was delighted to see that David was there and he had put a whole range of my favourite treats all within licking distance of where I lay. There was cheese, choco-drops, milk, my most favourite biscuits - everything! I do not think he was too impressed when he watched me sniff each one in turn and then completely ignore them! I turned my attention to licking off the stupid piece of rag.
I know it was not out of anger that David immediately told me in no uncertain terms to stop doing it. He reinforced this instruction by securing what looked like a lampshade over my head! This was most embarrassing to say the least, and terribly inconvenient. Not only did it prevent me from licking most of my body, it took considerable practice before I could successfully negotiate corners, doors and steps without banging into something. I was most pleased that no-one else ever saw me with it on!
Fortunately, I only had to wear the stupid thing when David was not able to watch me and after a couple of days he did not bother with it again. By that time the annoying itchiness had stopped, it was not nearly so sore and the only licking I was doing was normal hygiene.
A few days later and I was back at that place again. David stayed with me this time so I knew it was not going to involve anything too bad. He and that man flipped me over onto my back and I felt the nasty little bits of string, which I had not been able to pull out myself, being cut out. It did not hurt at all and I felt 100% better afterwards. Although the whole ordeal had been absolutely terrible at the time, looking back it was probably a lot less traumatic than I had been expecting. And, of course, I had been spared the great burden of motherhood as a result.
Before I move on I must mention briefly a funny thing that happened at